Prince George will undergo some major lifestyle changes this fall as he begins a new chapter at Eton College.
Prince William and Duchess Kate’s eldest son is expected to have his own room while attending an all-boys boarding school, royal expert Kinsey Schofield exclusively tells Page Six.
“People are sometimes surprised to learn that Eton students usually don’t have roommates,” she said, noting that “Princes William and Harry[who attended the elite school]each had their own study and bedroom, just like their classmates.”
Mr Schofield said having a private retreat was the “greatest gift” Eton could offer the future heir to the British throne.
“He will have a space to relax away from the constant surveillance that comes with being a future king,” she said.
But Schofield believes George will not be isolated from his classmates and will have the opportunity to immerse himself in them in other ways.
“Eton’s house system is designed to create community,” she explained. “Students share kitchens, common rooms, meals, and daily life together.
“George will continue to be immersed in a social environment, but the benefit is that he will have a place to relax at the end of the day.”
One avenue George might take to make new friends is through the athletics program, just like his father, who played soccer, water polo and other sports while a student at Eton.
“I would be surprised if Prince George didn’t get into sports at Eton,” Schofield said. “Everything we’ve seen so far suggests he inherited his mother and father’s competitive talent, and Eaton has always seen athletics as an important part of school life.”
George, who celebrated his 13th birthday on Wednesday, is said to have already proven to have “extraordinary athletic ability” and Schofield believes he will develop his identity through sport at his new school.
“(Football) feels like the safest prediction,” Schofield said. “It’s something that Prince William truly loves and it’s clearly become a passion that they have shared as father and son.”
However, there has been speculation that George might take up rugby, with Middleton previously joking that he has the right physique for rugby.
“Whether he ultimately encourages full-contact sports is another question, but he certainly seems enthusiastic about it,” Schofield said.
Whatever path he ultimately takes, it could ultimately help the prince excel in social situations as well.
“If an academic could get Prince George through the front gates of Eton, sport might be where he feels at home. It’s one of the few places where the future king can be just a teammate in pursuit of victory,” Schofield said.
Making friends and keeping up with school may not be George’s biggest challenges. Instead, Schofield believes George will have to face a hurdle his father did not experience at Eton: social media.
“William and Harry have been attending since before social media changed adolescence. George won’t have that luxury,” Schofield said. “His security challenge is no longer just physical protection; it’s protecting his privacy in an era where anything can go viral in seconds.”
Schofield said there was no doubt that Prince George’s security would be strong behind the scenes.
“But I think every effort will be made not to constantly remind his companions that they are standing next to the future king,” she explained. “When Prince William attended Eton, guardian officers wore civilian clothes and blended into the background.
“The philosophy of being as invisible as possible is perhaps even more important today, as teens are already growing up under the social media microscope.”
George’s security must not only address physical risks, but also protect him from digital exposure from drones, social media, and other technologies.
“So Prince George’s protection will almost certainly be more sophisticated, even if it is designed to be nearly invisible,” Schofield said.
As for whether Prince George will be able to visit his parents and siblings (Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight), his family home, Forest Lodge, is just minutes from Eton School.
“So unlike many boarders, I don’t feel like I’m far away from home,” she says. “This closeness should make the transition more gentle.”
“George will probably enjoy the best of both worlds – the independence of boarding school and the security of knowing home is just around the corner,” she continued. “I wouldn’t be surprised if George spent much of his free time with his family.”
